Thanks to online platforms, there are more talented freelance editors than ever before. It’s also easier to find experienced professional freelance editors who offer top-quality results than ever before. That’s great news for anyone who needs an editor!
Whether you’ve just wrapped up the fantasy book that you’ve been working on for ages, you’ve just drafted a non-fiction research book that culminates thousands of hours of your blood, sweat, and tears, you’ve created an informative eBook that you want to share with your clients, or you’ve written a novel; whatever the case may be, if you have a work of writing and you need another set of eyes to look over it and edit for you, if you’re looking for book editors in New York, you’re probably wondering how to go about doing so.
Communicating your priorities, clarifying the details, and expressing your expectations; these are just some of the tips that you can use to find the perfect freelance book editors in New York.
Identify The Specific Editing Services You Require
Before you even begin the process of looking for book editors in New York, the first thing you need to do is understand the state of your manuscript. It’s important to note that editors come in to help when you have already put as much effort as you can into editing your work yourself and you’ve reached the point that you are no longer able to enhance your own writing.
Professional editing entails numerous rounds, or layers, if you will, and the nearer you get to publication, the more specific those rounds or layers will become. With that said, it’s imperative to identify the specific editing services that you require. In order to understand the type of editing services you require, you need to know what type of services editors offer; that is, the type of editing that a professional editor specializes in.
There are five main types of editing, which include:
- Editorial assessment. Usually the first step in the editing process, during an editorial assessment, editors in New York will provide you with broad, yet detailed feedback that pertains to the key strengths, as well as the specific weaknesses in your writing. An editor will assess the characters, the plot, and the structure of your manuscript. You won’t receive edits or comments in your manuscript; rather, you will receive a letter that highlights an overall assessment of your writing (hence the term “editorial assessment”). This type of editing is ideal for authors who are in the early stages of the writing process and whose manuscripts are “messy”.
- Developmental editing. Also known as substantive or content editing, with developmental editing, a professional book editor in New York will offer you detailed feedback pertaining to the entirety of your manuscript; your ideas, your narrative, your characters, your plot, etc. The editor will help you refine all of these key components of your book, fine tuning your writing. He or she will let you know what elements work and what elements don’t work.
- Copy editing. Once you’re sure that you’ve resolved all of the bigger picture issues concerning your manuscript, you’ll need copy editing. Also referred to as mechanical or line editing, with this type of editing, a book editor in New York will read your manuscript, looking for any elements that reduce its readability; repetitive words, inconsistencies in timelines, character flaws, etc. The job of a copy editor is to make your manuscript more professional. Copy editing will improve the clarity, consistency, coherency, and correctness of your book, making it more relatable and readable. The objective of copy editing is to close-up any gaps that may be remaining between your intent for writing and a reader’s understanding.
- Proofreading. The final major stage in the editing process, proofreading involves assessing the structure of your book. Book editors in New York that specialize in proofreading will use their keen eye to check your work over for any grammatical and spelling errors. At this stage, all of the elements of your book have been honed and fine-tuned, and it is checked over for technical details before it is ready to publish. A proofreader will check your writing for inconsistencies in the style of your writing, the spelling, the layout, and the typography. They’ll also check for any awkward or confusing word breaks and page breaks, and even incorrectly captioning on any illustrations that your book contains and page numbers.
- Fact-checking. The final type of editing – and the final stage of the editing process – is fact-checking. Regardless of how well-researched your book may be, there may be inconsistencies, and you definitely don’t want to publish a book that has inconsistent facts; otherwise, it – and you – definitely won’t be well-received. Book editors in New York that specialize in fact-checking will help to check over the facts. They’ll double- and triple-check the documentation with reference material, ensuring that all of the facts are consistent and correct. Fact-checking is vital, because no matter how sure you are of your research skills and your ability to convey the information you’ve found through your research into your writing, there’s always a chance that you could make mistakes.
Look for Experienced Book Editors in New York
Once you know what type of editing you need, you can start looking for book editors in New York. The easiest way to do this is by using online platforms, like Reedsy. Some of the most talented and experienced book editors advertise their skills on this online marketplace, and the marketplace always verifies the work history of their editors. Look for a well-rounded list of at least three prospective professional editors.
Shortlist Editors
After compiling a shortlist of prospective editors, take a closer look at the candidates. Give those who have experience in your niche priority, look at their feedback and style, and contact prospective editors with a synopsis of your manuscript to see what kind of feedback they provide.